Day 36 Sacred Season

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faithâof greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire âmay result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV)

Basis of Union Paragraph 16. The Uniting Church sees in pastoral care exercised personally on behalf of the Church an expression of the fact that God always deals personally with people, would have Godâs loving care known among people, and would have individual members take upon themselves the form of a servant.

Have you ever heard of Arthur Matthews? I donât know where he came from, but he spent some time in Adelaide. He was a missionary in China. He used to write editorials for the overseas missionary fellowshipâs paper. They put them together in a devotional book, like âa daily lightâ , for over a month. (1)

And in it heâs got some amazing insight in using illustrations in life itself . The illustration are really clear, precise and also relevant . He looks at the Hebrew people going through the fiery furnace. And the way he brings it out is amazing. And he talks about Daniel in the lionâs den, and also about prayer. He says we arenât adopting the best method of prayer.

He talks about the â Scrambled Squadronâ.

Towards the end of the second world war when Germany had conquered Europe, Germany had finally mounted the operation âSea Lionâ. They sought to bomb Britain out of the sea and to finish the war by defeating Britain.

So they sent all their bombers over to drop bombs on Britain.

Because Britain didnât have much to respond with , they had to devise a strategy to stop this happening and to beat the Germans.

So they organized whatâs called âThe Scrambled Squadronâ â a squadron of spitfire fighter planes. . They had to be ready at a momentâs notice.

As soon as anything appeared on the radar screen, that was suggesting a bomber squadron was coming over from Germany , the pilots had to scramble, get in their planes and take off.

But why they had to be so quick was to get altitude. So they got up as high as they could above the bombers, so that when the bombers came in towards their target, suddenly the German pilots found these planes coming at them, from out of the sun above them . And it threw them into consternation. They couldnât concentrate on their targets at the same time as coping with fighters coming at them from above.

The lesson that Arthur Matthews put up is this. We are fighting our battles from the wrong position. We are seated together in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers. We are already in a position of victory. Our squadron leader is the greatest war leader that you could ever have, that has ever been.

And instead of us fighting from a position of victory, we are talking about going on to victory, when we are already positioned in a position of victory.

If we start to take our place as the Melchizedek priestly order as brought into being through our High Priest, whoâs ripped the veil and given us access to the throne of grace and the mercy seat, our prayers will have confidence and assurance. And then we are going to get different results than what we are getting at present. But if we are trying to fight the enemy above us from bunkers then we will get nowhere. .

Prayer:

Reveal to us Heavenly Father , your will and purpose and fulfill that perfect will through the power of the Holy Spirit

Iâve been sitting here for the last hour contemplating, meditating, calling upon you to intervene. I thank that this is an opportunity Lord, thatâs come from you to record what you are doing. Lord youâve already decided and determined the outcome.

We are more than conquerors through him who loved us and gave himself for us. You obtained the victory and now you are calling us to share the spoils of victory with you, and to go into the enemies camp and Lord to destroy that which is contaminated and defiling, Redeem the hearts and lives of men and women, and rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from hell and the grave. To weep for the erring one and lift up the fallen. To tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save

Father, We thank you so much that you hear our cry. We trust in you. You know the way we take. Lord we thank you in the name of Jesus that this is the way ordained by you, and that as you lead us, you inevitably lead us in triumph. All the glory, power and might comes to you, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are, the Father of glory to whom be all the honour, praise and glory. For this we thank you in Jesusâ name. Amen.

OMF Born for battle Arthur Matthews

Pray for: Unitingworld partner – The Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea

Continue to Pray for Assembly. Today the appointment of the new general Secretary will be taking place. The nominee is Ms Colleen Geyer. Pray for the Lordâs leading if he wants Coleen to be confirmed in this role.

Give thanks to the Lord of the work of Rev Dr Terence Corkin as he concludes at the end of this year.

Nominees for President-elect will be announced. Begin to earnestly pray for the Lordâs choice for the President-Elect.

Praise God for the election of Rev Garry Dronfield as the new President of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress for the next three years. Please pray for wisdom, strength and protection for him as he leads Congress at this important time. ...

Around 150 people gathered in Geelong, Victoria for the UAICC - Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress triennial National Conference from 13-18 January.
Congratulations to the incoming National Executive and officers including new National President Rev. Garry Dronfield.

Today is our day of prayer and fasting. Let's fast and pray inJesus' mighty name for repentance and revival in our time, beginning in our own lives, family, church (including the Uniting Church - local and national), workplace, marketplace, neighbourhood, town, city, region, country and the world.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Sometimes we listen to the news of the increase of nuclear power in the hands of seemingly unstable world leaders, or even think of the church and we get discouraged and disheartened.

In our epistle teaching from 1 Thessalonians today, Paul tells us to encourage one another with the following words. Our precious Lord Jesus Christ is going to return. It will not be in a quiet way. There will be a loud shout, a voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. All those who have died who are in the Lord Jesus Christ will rise first. And then any who are still alive will be caught up with him in the clouds.

Now comes our promise. Then we will be with the Lord forever!

This is not a popular teaching in some circles even within thechurch, for not all will be raised, not all will be with him forever. It is only those who are “in Christ”, who have received by faith all that Christ has done upon the cross.

Let us not be disheartened by any momentary problems. Let us put it into perspective.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming back and when he returns we will be with him forever!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive us when we get overwhelmed with the chaos of the world and forget that Jesus Christ your son is returning again. Help us to not only remember this wonderful truth but to share it with others that they too may be encouraged. In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen

Today is our day of prayer and fasting. Let's fast and pray in Jesus' mighty name for repentance and revival beginning in our own life, family, church, marketplace, workplace, neighbourhood, village, town, city, region, country and the world.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen

Psalms 107:33-37 (NRSV) He turns rivers into a desert,springs of water into thirsty ground,34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.35 He turns a desert into pools of water,a parched land into springs of water.36 And there he lets the hungry live,and they establish a town to live in;37 they sow fields, and plant vineyards,and get a fruitful yield. ...